![Sample our Humanities journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5939/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Humanities.jpg"})
Abstract
This study examines the effects of upbeat news items on the assessment of the severity of the issues presented in hard‐news reports. The experimental newscast ended either without an additional item, with a human‐interest story, or with a humorous story. Respondents rated the severity of the issues addressed and the extent to which the issues might affect them personally. The humorous newscast‐closing story, but not the human‐interest story, led respondents to evaluate the issues as less severe. Assessments of personal vulnerability were not appreciably influenced by these newscast‐closing upbeat stories, however.
